Vol. 52 » Issue 1

Page 1

volume 52, Issue 1 September 25, 2013

Walt whitman High school

7100 whittier boulevard

Bethesda, maryland 20817

theblackandwhite.net

Tech Mod ‘13 brings unexpected problems

photo by TYLER JACOBSON

By Sarah Friedman It’s Thursday afternoon, four days into the first week of school. Sheryl Freedman asks her AP Psychology class to take out their smartphones and load a YouTube video. “1, 2, 3, play!” she says, and the room fills with the sound of 25 smart phones playing the video. They are a bit unsynchronized. When the video ends, she squeezes in front of the desks to reach the three feet of whiteboard next to the Promethean to teach her lesson. Using the Promethean isn’t an option because she can’t log onto her computer. Freedman hasn’t been alone in her technology dilemma. Teachers, staff and students are experiencing a plethora of issues, which IT systems specialist Greg Thomas attributes to hasty network and hardware updates conducted over the summer. Whitman’s network makeover occurred because the school was one of 10 high schools scheduled for “Tech Mod 13.” The Tech Mod process is conducted by MCPS’ Office of Global Technology in a quarter of their schools on a rolling basis each summer. It requires elaborate planning and preparation. But, this year’s modernization was announced at short notice and completed by an inexperienced crew, Thomas said. Tech Mod changes have led to connection problems with the school’s printers, computers and other devices. Whitman’s technology network includes 645 computers, 35 printers, 84 security cameras, and other equipment, Thomas said.

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Bradley Hills ES makes eco-friendly Football shuts out B-CC in 24-0 win renovations, installs “green roof ” Junior tight end Anton Casey hauls in a 15-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Evan Smith in the Vikes win over B-CC, improving their record to 2-1 on the season. Casey led the team in receiving yards, with three receptions for 58 yards.

Pyle student sings with Green Day, skyrockets to Youtube fame By Emma Anderson All music fans love going to concerts, hearing their favorite bands play live and jamming out in the audience to head-banging tunes. But for Pyle seventh grader Davis Gestiehr, this wasn’t enough. He dreamed of being on stage and playing alongside his idols. Davis went with his family to a Green Day concert at the Patriot Center April 4, his third time seeing the punk rock band. At each concert, the band picks someone out of the audience and brings them onstage to sing their song “Longview.” Davis was in the front row and had high hopes. His dad made him a poster reading “I’m twelve years old. Please let me sing ‘Longview’” and held it up throughout the concert. Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong saw it and chose Davis to perform with him. Davis was pulled on stage and handed a microphone. But before he started to rock out in front of 13,000 fans, Armstrong asked him to recite the lyrics of the song to him,

Inside Look

4 NEWS

flipped classroom:

one year +/later

to make sure he knew the words. “I didn’t really have time to think,” David said. “I just had to get up there and do it. It was scary but it was really awesome.” It wasn’t until after he got off the stage that he had time to process what just happened. “I thought to myself, ‘Oh my gosh, I just talked to my idol’,” Davis said. The once-in-a-lifetime performance ended up on YouTube and now has over 93,000 views. Before Davis walked off stage, lead singer Billy Joe rewarded him with his Thunder Telecaster guitar. He now considers it a prized possession. “Sometimes, I just stare at it and admire it,” Davis said. The Green Day concert was Davis’ biggest stage so far, but he has always been a performer. Davis has now become pretty well known around the area, performing not only at spots around Bethesda and D.C., but at fundraisers and at Nationals, Orioles and Wizards games.

By Casey Noenickx Look up at the new roof of Bradley Hills and you’ll find a veritable ecosystem in full bloom, one of several eco-friendly changes put in place after nearly two years of reconstruction. The roof, situated on the new section of the building, is covered with plants and soil to help filter run-off and to create a habitat for birds and other animals. The school also installed new parking lots made of pervious concrete that absorb rain water to reduce runoff. MCPS scheduled a classroom addition in 2008 to solve capacity issues and to accommodate new students transferring from Bethesda Elementary, which was also over capacity. “Bradley Hills was already burgeoning,” Whitman PTA president Jodi McGill said. “The school had around five portables, and the county was concerned about our growth, so they decided to add on to Bradley Hills.” Storm water management has become an important emphasis in renovations, Bradley Hills’ principal Sandra Reece said. For Bradley Hills, reducing run-off is a priority because the new building takes up the majority of the property.

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6 OPINION 9/ Not just another date

10 FEATURE 15 SPORTS Hot

Yoga

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Obscure Sports at Whitman

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16 Q&A Interview with Head Chef

Andrew Fleischauer


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